Hip and ridge shingle, method and apparatus for making, and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A web of roofing material ( 20 ) is perforated for segmentation into plural trapezoidal-shaped shingles ( 22 ). In view of the perforation ( 24 ) of the web ( 20 ), the trapezoidal-shaped shingles ( 22 ) are pre-configured for use as hip and ridge shingles advantageously having edges pre-shaped to align upon installation to present an essentially straight line of edges of contiguous shingles. The hip and ridge shingles are detachable from the web at the perforation to facilitate use of the shingles on a roofing obliquity ( 40 ). A method of applying shingles to a roof includes segmenting a pre-perforated web of roofing material into individual shingles, positioning a first trapezoidal shaped shingle on the roofing obliquity ( 40 ) so that the major parallel edge thereof is bent across a bend line of the roofing obliquity and so that the major parallel edge of the first trapezoidal shaped shingle serves as a leading exposed edge of the shingle, affixing the first trapezoidal shape shingle to the roof understructure, and using a sealant strip ( 36 ) of the first shingle as a guide for positioning a second shingle over the first shingle. A method of making the roofing material comprises forming a covering material on a first surface of a substrate; cutting the substrate into a web, the web comprising plural trapezoidal shaped shingles; and, forming perforations in the web to facilitate segmentation of the web into the plural trapezoidal shaped shingles.

This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/744,976, filed Apr. 17, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to roofing materials and methods of applying and making roofing materials, particularly roofing materials suitable for application to a non-planar roof surface such as a roof ridge or roof hip.

2. Related Art and Other Considerations

Roofing shingles are some of the most prevalent forms of roofing materials. Shingle production typically involves feeding a substrate into a production line. In the production line, hot asphalt is applied to the substrate. Granules are deposited and embedded into the substrate. The granules which are embedded into what will be, upon installation, an exposed portion of the substrate, are often called “finish” granules. Typically less colorful or less esthetically appealing granules are embedded into an un-exposed or “butt” portion of the substrate. The granule laden substrate is then cut to a package length, e.g. into a package unit. For many general purpose shingles the package unit has a number of tabs on its lower or exposed surface, e.g. three tabs; which are separated by slots, as illustrated in FIG. 35.

Roofing shingles, when applied to a sloping roof, are positioned with a leading- or lower edge (the granule-laden portion) exposed. The butt portion of the shingle (typically not having finish granules) is nailed down and overlaid with the exposed portion of another shingle, typically offset, as illustrated in FIG. 36.

The finish granules deposited on the exposed portion of the substrate are typically selected to have a texture and/or color to provide a desired visual appearance to the roof. In addition, some models of shingles such as that illustrated in FIG. 37 have a dark band of granules deposited on the rear of the exposed portion in a “shadow line”, which provides somewhat of a three-dimensional appearance to the shingle upon installation.

Most shingles are of a regular type which are applied to an essentially planar roof surface, e.g., nailed to an underlayment of a sloping roof surface. However, non-planar intersections of roof surfaces such as ridges and hips, can also be covered by shingles. Thus, some shingles are formed of a size to wrap around an intersection of planar roof surfaces, e.g., to wrap around a roof ridge or roof hip. Such shingles, often called “hip and ridge” shingles, are, upon installation, bent or wrapped in non-planar fashion around the roof line, e.g., around the roof ridge or roof hip.

Examples of prior art hip and ridge shingles are described in the following United States patents (all of which are incorporated herein by reference): U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,471,801; 5,365,711; and 6,895,724. The former teaches a shingle sheet, formed separately (e.g., pre-cut) and independently of other shingles, having a peculiarly tapered shape, which is folded to give an appearance similar to a wood shake or slate roof.

Some types of hip and ridge shingles are also formed by deposition of granules onto an exposed portion of a substrate in a manner similar to the production line already described. For such hip and ridge shingles, the substrate can be cut into package units or webs, which are perforated as shown in FIG. 38 so that the web can be separated at the construction site into plural shingles of the hip and ridge type. The plural shingles comprising the web of FIG. 38 have a substantially rectangular shape.

Hip and ridge shingles are generally applied in a direction parallel to the roof ridge or hip bend. For covering a roof ridge, for example, the shingling begins at an end of the ridge which is opposite the direction of the prevailing wind. For this end of ridge, a first shingle (such as one of the three rectangular shingle pieces of the web of FIG. 38), is cut to form a smaller rectangular shim. The rectangular shim is approximately half the size of a usual shingle from the web of FIG. 38. The ridge shim is nailed down to the underlayment so that it straddles the two intersecting roof surfaces. This shim forms an end-most shingle, and is represented entirely in phantom lines in FIG. 39. Subsequently, a first full shingle of the web of FIG. 38, having been separated from its package unit and then manually trimmed or tailored at the construction site, has its butt section nailed down so that the first full shingle has a first end substantially aligned with the end of the ridge and entirely covering the shim. Then, a second full hip and ridge shingle, also having been separated from its package unit and manually trimmed or tailored at the construction site, has its exposed portion laid over the butt portion of the first full shingle, and the butt portion of the second full hip and ridge shingle is nailed down to the underlayment. Further full hip and ridge shingles are applied in similar manner, with the second and consecutive full shingles being trimmed or tailored on site.

One reason the first and consecutive full hip and ridge shingles are trimmed or tailored is understood from the simplified illustration of FIG. 39. Upon positioning of a full hip and ridge shingle on the roof ridge, part of the full shingle overlies its predecessor. But part of the full hip and ridge shingle does not overlie its predecessor (but instead will be covered by its successor), resulting in an inclined placement of the shingle. If the first and subsequent full shingles did not have their edges trimmed, an edge of part of the full shingle that does not overlie its predecessor would not be situated at the exact same altitude as an edge of part of the full shingle that does overlie its predecessor, giving a tilt to each shingle as seen from the side of the roof. In view of the tilted positioning of each of the second and successive shingles, the shingles as assembled on the roof would result in a jagged or uneven appearance of a line formed by their lower edges, as illustrated by line L of FIG. 39. For this reason, prior to installation, the hip and ridge shingles are trimmed as indicated by broken line T in FIG. 39 and in FIG. 40, in a rough or crude effort to provide a straight or even lower edge line for the hip and ridge shingles.

The trimming of hip and ridge shingles, in order to avoid the jagged lower edge profile, necessitates manual effort and attempted precision at the construction site, and also results in waste of roofing material. Further, the scrap trimmings must be collected and disposed, requiring further extraneous effort.

What is needed, therefore, and an object of the present invention, is a labor-saving and visually acceptable hip and ridge shingle, as well as methods of installing and fabricating the same.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A web of roofing material is perforated for segmentation into plural trapezoidal-shaped shingles. In view of the perforation of the web, the trapezoidal-shaped shingles are pre-configured for use preferably as hip and ridge shingles advantageously having edges pre-shaped to align upon installation to provide a visual appearance of an essentially straight line of edges of contiguous shingles. The hip and ridge shingles are detachable from the web at the perforation to facilitate use of the shingles on a roofing obliquity, e.g., on roofing structure that has an (inverted or upright) V-shape. The roofing obliquity can be formed (for example) by an intersection of two planes of roofing surfaces such as occurs at an intersection of roofing underlayment at a roof ridge or roof hip, or by a ridge vent cap.

In an example embodiment, the web is preferably perforated into three shingles, each shingle having a major parallel side and a minor parallel side and two non-parallel sides. The major parallel side and the minor parallel side are parallel to one another; the major parallel side has a length greater than the minor parallel side. A length difference between the major parallel side and the minor parallel side is in a range of from one inch to three inches. Other embodiments having a greater or lesser numbers of plural perforated shingles.

Two adjacent shingles are oriented on the web whereby the major parallel side of a first shingle and the minor parallel side of a second shingle are coterminous on a first edge of the web, and whereby the minor parallel side of the first shingle and the major parallel side of the second shingle are coterminous on a second edge of the web.

In an example embodiment, the major parallel side has a length of 12.5 inch, the minor parallel side has a length of 10.5 inch, and the non-parallel sides have an approximate length of 12 3/64 inch (e.g., about 12.042 inch). In such example embodiment, a shingle of the web has an interior angle of between the major parallel side and the non-parallel side of approximately 86 degrees (e.g., 85.25 degrees).

In an example embodiment, a sealant strip is formed on the web to provide an alignment guide. Preferably the sealant strip is formed parallel to and midway between the two parallel web edges.

In another example embodiment, a shadow line is formed on the web parallel to the two parallel web edges.

Another aspect of the technology concerns a method of applying shingles to a roof, without the need of cutting shingles on the job site. The method includes segmenting a pre-perforated web of roofing material into individual shingles. Each individual shingle has a trapezoidal shape having two parallel side edges and a sealant strip extending parallel to and preferably midway between the parallel edges. The two parallel side edges include a major parallel edge and a minor parallel edge. The major parallel side and the minor parallel side are parallel to one another. The major parallel side has a length greater than the minor parallel side.

The method of applying full-sized shingles further involves positioning a first full-sized trapezoidal shaped shingle on the roofing obliquity so that the major parallel edge thereof is bent across a bend line of the roofing obliquity and so that the major parallel edge of the first full-sized trapezoidal shaped shingle serves as a leading exposed edge of the shingle. The first full-sized trapezoidal shape shingle is then affixed to the roof understructure. The leading edge of the sealant strip of the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle is then used as a guide for positioning a second full-sized trapezoidal shingle over the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle. In particular, the second full-sized trapezoidal shingle is positioned so that the major parallel edge serves as a leading exposed edge of the second full-sized trapezoidal shingle, thereby leaving an exposed portion of the second full-sized trapezoidal shingle to overlie a butt portion of the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle.

In an example mode of performing the method of applying trapezoidal shingles, the method further comprises positioning the major parallel edge of the second full-sized trapezoidal shingle over the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle so that the major parallel edge of the second full-sized trapezoidal shingle just covers the entire sealing strip of the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle.

In differing modes of performing the shingle application method, the roofing obliquity can be a roof ridge, a roof hip, or a ridge vent cap.

Another aspect of the technology concerns a method of making a roofing material. The method of making the roofing material comprises forming a covering material on a first surface of a substrate; cutting the substrate into a web, the web comprising plural trapezoidal shaped shingles; and, forming perforations in the web to facilitate segmentation of the web into the plural trapezoidal shaped shingles. As one example mode of the method, the step of forming the covering material optionally comprises forming a sealant strip on the substrate. As one example mode of the method, the step of forming the covering material comprises forming a shadow line on the substrate.

Another aspect of the technology concerns a cutting head for producing webs of roofing material having plural shingles in each web. The cutting head has a peripheral surface configured to have plural axial regions configured to operate upon a corresponding plurality of production lanes of webs. Each axial region of the peripheral surface comprises both cutting elements and perforating elements. The cutting elements of a first axial region are offset around a periphery of the peripheral surface with respect to the cutting elements of an adjacent axial region, and the perforating elements of a first axial region are offset around a periphery of the peripheral surface with respect to the perforating elements of an adjacent axial region. Preferably the amount of the offset is essentially equal to width of a shingle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the various views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a web of roofing material according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 1 (which is identical to a left side view).

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a web of roofing material according to another example embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a right side view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 6 (which is identical to a left side view).

FIG. 11A-FIG. 11D are diagrammatic views showing an installation method for installing shingles.

FIG. 12A is a side view of a portion of a roof having shingles of a first example embodiment installed thereupon, the roof portion having a roof ridge for a non-planar roofing surface.

FIG. 12B is a side view of a portion of a roof having shingles of a first example embodiment installed thereupon, the roof portion having a roof hip for a non-planar roofing surface.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a web of roofing material according to another example embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a top view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a rear view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is a right side view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 13 (which is identical to a left side view).

FIG. 18 is a side view of a portion of a roof having shingles of a third example embodiment installed thereupon.

FIG. 19 is a side view of a portion of a roof having shingles installed over a ridge vent of the roof.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectioned end view of FIG. 19 taken along line 20-20.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a web of roofing material according to another example embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a top view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a front view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 is a rear view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 21.

FIG. 25 is a right side view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 21 (which is identical to a left side view).

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a web of roofing material according to another example embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a top view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 is a front view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 26.

FIG. 29 is a rear view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 26.

FIG. 30 is a right side view of the web of roofing material of FIG. 26 (which is identical to a left side view).

FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing a packing arrangement for shingles.

FIG. 32 is as flowchart showing basic, representative steps included in a method of making shingles.

FIG. 33 is a diagrammatic view of apparatus included in an example embodiment of a production line for producing shingles according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 34 is both a diagrammatic top view of a web of roofing material at a cutter station of the production line of FIG. 33 and a diagrammatic view of a rolled out surface of a cutter tool used at the cutter station of the production line of FIG. 33.

FIG. 35 is a plan view of a conventional general purpose roofing shingle.

FIG. 36 is a plan view showing a manner of installation of two convention shingles of FIG. 35.

FIG. 37 is a plan view of a conventional general purpose roofing shingle having a shadow line.

FIG. 38 is a plan view of a conventional package unit and separated into plural rectangular hip and ridge shingles.

FIG. 39 is a side view of a portion of a roof illustrating appearances after installation of untrimmed hip and ridge shingles of the type of FIG. 38.

FIG. 40 is a plan view showing a manner of on-site trim for the hip and ridge shingles separated from the package unit of FIG. 38.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth such as particular architectures, interfaces, techniques, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known devices and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail.

FIG. 1-FIG. 5 illustrate a web of roofing material 20 according to a first example embodiment. The web of roofing material 20 comprises a substrate which is perforated for eventual segmentation into plural trapezoidal-shaped shingles 22. For example, in the first embodiment, the web of roofing material 20 comprises three shingles 22(1), 22(2) and 22(3) which are delineated by perforations 24. Each shingle 22 has a major parallel side 30 and a minor parallel side 32, as well as two non-parallel sides 34. The major parallel side 30 and the minor parallel side 32 are parallel to one another; the major parallel side 30 has a length greater than the minor parallel side 32.

Two adjacent shingles are oriented on the web so that the major parallel side of a first shingle and the minor parallel side of a second shingle are coterminous on a first edge of the web, and whereby the minor parallel side of the first shingle and the major parallel side of the second shingle are coterminous on a second edge of the web. For example, FIG. 2 shows that, on a first edge of web 20, major parallel side 30 of shingle 22(1) is coterminous with minor parallel side 32 of shingle 22(2) (as well as conterminous with major parallel side 30 of shingle 22(3)), and that (on a second edge of web 20) the minor parallel side 32 of the shingle 22(1) and the major parallel side 30 of the second shingle 22(2) [as well as the minor parallel side 32 of the shingle 22(3)] are coterminous.

In one specific example embodiment, the major parallel side 30 of a shingle 22 has a length of 12.5 inch, and the minor parallel side 32 has a length of 10.5 inch. The distance between all parallel sides is twelve inches. The non-parallel sides have a length of about 12 3/64 inch, e.g., about 12.042 inch. In such example embodiment, a shingle of the web has an interior angle of between the major parallel side and the non-parallel side of approximately 86 degrees (e.g., 85.25 degrees). Thus, in this specific example embodiment, a length difference between the major parallel side 30 and the minor parallel side 32 is in a range of from one inch to three inches, and is preferably two inches. The measurements of the example specific embodiment of FIG. 1-FIG. 5 can also be utilized for other embodiments of three-shingle webs described herein, but are not obligatory for any embodiments.

FIG. 6-FIG. 11 illustrate a second example embodiment of a web of roofing material 20(6) bearing shingles 22(6-1), shingles 22(6-2), and shingles 22(6-3) (collectively or generically referred to as shingle(s) 22(6)). The web of roofing material 20(6) differs from the web of roofing material 20 of FIG. 1 in that the web of roofing material 20(6) has a sealing strip 36 applied on a top surface thereof. The sealing strip 36 extends, either continuously or discontinuously, along the length of web 20(6). Preferably, the sealing strip 36 extends along a midline of each shingle 22(6), i.e., a midline which is equidistant between major parallel side 30 and minor parallel side 32. Thus, in the specific example previously discussed in which specific dimensions were supplied, the sealing strip 36 is distanced six inches from major parallel side 30 and six inches from minor parallel side 32. Thus, the sealing strip 36 is situated differently from conventional shingles (which have their conventional sealing strip spaced five and five-eighths inch from a leading edge of the exposed portion of the shingle).

The sealing strip 36 serves for adhering a superposed shingle to the top of the shingle 22 which bears the sealing strip 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the sealing strip 36 is shown as a series of adhesive zones. It will be appreciated that, in other variations of the second example embodiment, the sealing strip 36 can instead be a continuous strip.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 6-FIG. 11, the sealing strip 36 of shingle 22(6) divides each shingle 22(6) into a butt portion and an exposed portion. The butt portion extends between the sealing strip 36 and the minor parallel side 32; the exposed portion extends between sealing strip 36 and major parallel side 30.

Web 20 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and web 20(6) of the embodiment of FIG. 6 are just the first two example embodiments of webs described herein. For sake of simplification, unless otherwise indicated by the context, general reference to web 20 can refer to or encompass all embodiments of webs described herein or embraced hereby. Similarly, reference unless otherwise indicated by the context, general reference to shingle(s) 22 can refer to or encompass all embodiments of shingles described herein or embraced hereby.

In any of the embodiments herein described, at its perforations 24 the web of roofing material 20 can be segmented (prior to or just before installation) into its plural constituent trapezoidal-shaped shingles 22. The trapezoidal shingles are detachable from the web at the perforation(s) to facilitate use of the trapezoidal shingles on a roofing obliquity, e.g., on roofing structure that has an (inverted or upright) V-shape. The roofing obliquity can be formed (for example) by an intersection of two planes of roofing surfaces such as occurs at an intersection of roofing underlayment at a roof ridge or roof hip, or by a vented ridge cap. Accordingly, the trapezoidal shingles of the type described herein have particularly beneficial application, but not necessarily exclusive application, as “hip and ridge” shingles (e.g., can be used as hip shingles or ridge shingles, or both).

FIG. 11A-FIG. 11D shows example, basic steps of installing the trapezoidal shingles 22(6) of the second embodiment on a roofing obliquity. The illustrated steps assume that, at an appropriate time before use of each shingle, of the web of roofing material 20 is segmented into its constituent trapezoidal shingles 22(6). As a first step, a first trapezoidal shingle is cut in the manner depicted by FIG. 11A to form a shim 22(6-A). FIG. 11A shows 22(6-A) in solid lines, and shows (removed) portions of the trapezoidal shingle from which shim 22(6-A) was cut in broken lines (showing the broken lines merely to illustrate how shim 22(6-A) was formed). FIG. 11A further shows, as part of the first step, shim 22(6-A) positioned on the roof over (e.g., straddling) the roofing obliquity 40, with the major parallel side 30 being essentially flush and parallel to a roof edge 42. When the roofing obliquity 40 is a roof ridge, roof edge 42 is perpendicular to a line formed by an intersection of surfaces forming the roofing obliquity 40, and is preferably an edge of the roof that faces the opposite direction of the prevailing wind. The shim 22(6-A) is folded about a shingle centerline 44 (which bisects its major parallel side 30 and minor parallel side 32) over the surface intersection 40. Further, fasteners (illustrated as roofing nails 46) are driven through shim 22(6-A) into an underlayment of the roof. Underlayment materials can include, e.g., Oriented Strand Board (OSB), Plywood, or solid wood boards for example.

After the shim 22(6-A) is affixed on the roof, a first full-sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) is laid over shim 22(6-A) in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11B. As used herein, the term “full-sized trapezoidal shingle” is employed to distinguish the shingles from the shim. Unless specifically stated to be a shim, all references to “shingles” hereinafter are to the full-sized trapezoidal shingles such as those described in the various embodiments hereof. The first full shingle 22(6-B) is positioned on the roof over (e.g., straddling) the roofing obliquity 40, with the major parallel side 30 being essentially aligned and thus flush and parallel to roof edge 42. As such, the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) essentially completely overlies shim 22(6-A). The shim 22(6-A) serves, e.g., to provide the full-sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) with a cocked or angled orientation on the roof ridge.

After the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) is affixed on the roof, a second full-sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-C) is laid over the first full-sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11C. The second full-sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-C) is, like its predecessor shingle 22(6-B), positioned on the roof over (e.g., straddling) the roofing obliquity 40, with the major parallel side 30 being essentially aligned and thus flush and parallel to sealing strip 36 of shingle 22(6-B). In other words, the leading edge of the sealing strip 36 of the predecessor shingle 22(6-B) is used as a guide for positioning the successor shingle 22(6-C). Specifically, the major parallel side 30 of shingle 22(6-C) is aligned with the leading edge of the sealing strip 36 of shingle 22(6-B), as shown in FIG. 1C. As with its predecessor shingle, shingle 22(6-C) is folded about its shingle centerline 44 over roofing obliquity 40 (e.g., the ridge or hip). After alignment of shingle 22(6-C) with the leading edge of the sealing strip 36 in this manner, roofing nails 46 are driven through a butt portion of shingle 22(6-C).

FIG. 12A illustrates positioning of shim 22(6-A) shingles such as shingle 22(6-B) and shingle 22(6-C) on a roof 50(12) in the manner of FIG. 11A-FIG. 11C, and particularly the case in which the roofing obliquity 40 is a roof ridge. In view of its trapezoidal shape, the non-parallel side 34 of shingle 22(6-B) extends essentially parallel to the horizontal roof lower edge 52. The leading or exposed portion of shingle 22(6-B) covers shim 22(6-A). As such, the major parallel side 30 of shingle 22(6-B) is slightly elevated or inclined above the horizontal ridge which forms the roofing obliquity 40(12A) in FIG. 12A. The butt portion of shingle 22(6-B) does not overlie shim 22(6-A), and thus at its centerline lies essentially flush with the horizontal roof ridge 40(12A). In view of the inclination (depicted by inclination angle 54 in FIG. 12A) of shingle 22(6-B) relative to the horizontal roof ridge 40(12A), together with the trapezoidal shape of shingle 22(6-B), the non-parallel sides 34 of shingle 22(6-B) have a relatively straight appearance also as seen from the side of the roof (see FIG. 12A).

FIG. 11D illustrates application of yet another shingle, i.e., shingle 22(6-D) over the butt end of shingle 22(6-C). FIG. 12A shows that the plural shingles are thus affixed on roof 50(12A) in a manner whereby their contiguous non-parallel sides 34 are essentially linear, as illustrated by horizontal line 56. The successor shingles are similarly situated with an inclination, and yet in view of their trapezoidal shape their sides 34 afford the same relatively straight appearance, so that the sides 34 of contiguous shingles appear as an essentially straight line 56 (or extension thereof) as shown in FIG. 12A

The provision of the trapezoidal shaped shingles thus facilitates a linear, relatively smooth and visually appealing, horizontal roof line 56 as formed by the non-parallel sides 34 of the shingles 22. The shingles 22 do not form a ragged or non-linear line as would occur if the shingles 22 were parallelograms. Moreover, the prior art cutting or trimming of shingle edges is obviated by the trapezoidal shingles 22, thereby expediting roof installation and reducing scrap and waste.

FIG. 12A illustrates the application of hip and ridge shingles as described herein, such as shim 22(6-A), shingle 22(6-B), shingle 22(6-C), and shingle 22(6-D) to a roofing obliquity which is a roof ridge 40(12A). By contrast, FIG. 12B illustrates the application of trapezoidal hip and ridge shingles as described herein to a roofing obliquity which is a roof hip 40(12B). Essentially the same steps as described above with respect to FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, and FIG. 11D are applicable for applying the shingles to the roof hip, a major difference being that the shim 22(6-A) and first full sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) are applied at a lowest elevation, the full sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) being applied to overlap shim 22(6-A), a second full sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-C) is applied to overlap the first full sized trapezoidal shingle 22(6-B) in the manner of FIG. 11C, and successive shingles are applied in overlapping fashion as understood from FIG. 11D.

Thus, after usage of a shim at the end of the roofing obliquity, a method of applying shingles involves positioning a first (full-sized) trapezoidal shaped shingle 22(6-B) on a roof understructure across a roofing obliquity. The roof understructure may be roof underlayment, or a ridge vent cap. When the shingle is to be applied to a roofing ridge, the first shingle is positioned so that the major parallel edge 30 serves as a leading exposed edge of the shingle. The first trapezoidal shape shingle 22(6-B) is then affixed to the roof understructure. The leading edge of the sealant strip 36 of the first shingle 22(6-B) is then used as a guide for positioning a second shingle 22(6-C) over the first shingle 22(6-B). In particular, the second shingle 22(6-C) is positioned so that the major parallel edge 30 serves as a leading exposed edge of the second shingle, thereby leaving an exposed portion of the second shingle 22(6-C) to overlie a butt portion of the first shingle 22(6-B).

In an example mode of performing the method of applying shingles, the method further comprises positioning the second shingle 22(6-B) across the roofing obliquity, with the major parallel edge 30 of the second shingle 22(6-B) being positioned over the first shingle 22(6-A) so that the major parallel edge 30 of the second shingle 22(6-B) just covers the sealing strip of the first shingle 22(6-A). Further shingles are applied successively in like manner along a line of the roofing obliquity, opposite the direction of the prevailing winds common to the area.

FIG. 13-FIG. 17 illustrate a third embodiment of a web of roofing material 20(13). In addition to having a sealing strip 36, the web of roofing material 20(13) has a shadow line 60 formed on its top surface.

Like sealing strip 36, shadow line 60 extends, either continuously or discontinuously, along the length of web of roofing material 20(13). Preferably, shadow line 60 extends along a midline of shingle 22(13), i.e., along a midline which is equidistant between major parallel side 30 and minor parallel side 32. Thus, in the specific example previously discussed in which specific dimensions were supplied, the center of shadow line 60 is distanced six inches from major parallel side 30 and six inches from minor parallel side 32. The shadow line 60 serves to provide an enhanced (e.g., three-dimensional) appearance to the shingles of the web 20(13). As such, shadow line 60 has a width which is greater than the width of sealing strip 36. The width of shadow line 60 is selected or determined by the particular visual effect sought to be created by shadow line 60. In the specific dimensional embodiment previously discussed, the shadow line 60 has a width of approximately two and one-half inches. The color and/or texture of shadow line 60 typically depends on the color and/or texture of the shadow line borne by the other shingles, e.g., field shingles, of the roof. The person in the art knows how to configure or provide such shadow lines (with reference to one or more of the following as non-exhaustive examples: U.S. Pat. D309,027; U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,445; U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,837; U.S. Pat. D417,513; U.S. Pat. D313,278; U.S. Pat. D417,016; U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,807; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,785).

FIG. 18 illustrates a roof 50(18) having ridge shingles bearing shadow line 60. Whereas the shadow line of other shingles on the roof 50(18) have a horizontal attitude, the shadow lines 60 of the ridge shingles 22 have a vertical attitude (e.g., are essentially orthogonal to the horizon), thereby providing a distinctive visual effect.

Roof 50(12A), roof 50(12B), and roof 50(18) illustrate ridge shingles applied to underlayment of the roof. In other words, in the preceding embodiments the roof understructure comprises roof underlayment. Yet the embodiments of ridge and hip shingles herein described can also be applied over a ridge vent cap 70, as illustrated in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20. In FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the ridge vent cap 70 thus serves as the roof understructure and the roofing obliquity. The ridge vent cap 70 surmounts a ridge vent 72, which is a space formed at a truncated apex of inclined roof underlayment surfaces 74. As shown in FIG. 19, the positioning of the shingles 22 results in the non-parallel sides 34 of the shingles 22(19-1), 22(19-2), having the same type of linear, smooth horizontal line 56(19) as previously described, the horizontal line 56(19) being essentially flush with a lower horizontal edge of ridge vent cap 70.

Although the foregoing embodiments of the webs of roofing material happened to show each web as comprising three shingles, it should be understood that in other embodiments the web can comprise any number of plural shingles. For example, FIG. 21-FIG. 25 show a fourth example embodiment of web 20(21) of roofing material having two trapezoidal shaped shingles 22 formed thereon. As another example, FIG. 26-FIG. 30 show a fifth example embodiment of web 20(26) of roofing material having four trapezoidal shaped shingles 22 formed thereon. Other plural numbers of trapezoidal-shaped shingles may be formed on webs of other embodiments, such as five or six shingles, and so on.

FIG. 31 shows a packing arrangement for plural webs 20(1), 20(2), 20(3), 20(n), where “n” is an integral number of webs. As shown in FIG. 31, the webs 20 have their major parallel sides 30 aligned with one another on one side of a packing stack, and their minor parallel sides 32 aligned with one another on another side of the packing stack. In other words, the top surface of a lower web is covered by a back or bottom surface of the web stacked thereupon (e.g., the webs have their top surfaces all facing in the same direction).

Another aspect of the technology concerns a method of making a roofing material, e.g., making the webs described herein. Basic, representative, non-limiting example steps are illustrated by way of flowchart in FIG. 32. As step S-1 of FIG. 32, a covering material is formed on a first surface of a substrate. Step S-2 involves cutting the substrate into a web (the web sized and configured to comprise plural trapezoidal shaped shingles). Step S-3 involves forming perforations 24 in the web to facilitate segmentation of the web into the plural trapezoidal shaped shingles.

As one example variation mode of the method, the step of forming the covering material (Step S-1) optionally comprises forming a sealant strip 36 on the substrate. As another example mode of the method, the step (Step S-1) of forming the covering material comprises forming a shadow line on the substrate. In one example, mode, the cutting of the substrate into a web and the forming of perforations can occur essentially simultaneously, e.g., at a same processing station.

FIG. 33 shows apparatus included in an example embodiment of a production line for producing shingles according to an example embodiment.

The production line 80 comprises plural stations arranged along a direction 82 of conveyance. Substrate supply station 84 is located at the head of production line 80, and (in the illustrated example embodiment) comprises apparatus for mounting and feeding substrate materials. For example, the substrate material can be supplied in a roll which is mounted and unwound at supply station 84. The substrate material can be any suitable shingle substrate material, such as glass filler mat (as a non-exhaustive and non-limiting example).

The substrate material fed from supply station 84 is conveyed to adhesive coating station 86. At adhesive coating station 86, an adhesive material is applied both to the top surface and bottom surface of the substrate. The adhesive applied at adhesive coating station 86 can be, for example, asphalt (heated, e.g., to about 450° F.). The application apparatus of adhesive coating station 86 can be a suitable apparatus, such as a coater roller for coating the bottom surface of the substrate and any appropriate mechanism for discharge of adhesive onto the top surface of the substrate (such as, for example, gravity feed, or coating roller).

The substrate, now coated with (preferably hot) asphalt adhesive, is next conveyed to adhesive coating station 88. At coating station 88, granules are applied to the top surface of the substrate (while the asphalt adhesive is hot). The coating station 88 may be configured so that finish granules are applied to some portions of the substrate and non-finish granules applied elsewhere. The application mechanism for granule application is not limited to any particular structure, and can include gravity drop feeders or other well known discharge mechanisms.

The color and texture of the granules applied at adhesive coating station 86 can be chosen and/or controlled to provide any desired visual effect. If the shingles are to have uniform color, hoppers for the granule feeders are loaded with granules of each color. On the other hand, if the shingle is to have granules of different colors, the granule feeders are accordingly loaded with granules of two or more colors. Moreover, if the shingles are to bear a shadow line, distinctive (preferably dark) granules are discharged (either continuously or discontinuously) at adhesive coating station 86 so as to form a shadow line on the substrate (such as shadow line 70 herein before described).

After deposition of granules at asphalt adhesive coating station 86, the substrate is conveyed to adhesive coating station 90. At press roll station 90, the granules applied at adhesive coating station 86 are gently pressed in to the hot adhesive for embedding the granules into the substrate. Thereafter, the substrate is cooled at cooling station 92. The cooling station 92 may (as shown in FIG. 33) be an extended covering or section having length closer to afford sufficient cooling time. Alternatively, cooling station 92 can comprise cooling apparatus, such as cooling blower(s), for example.

After the substrate is cooled, the substrate is conveyed to cutting station 94. The cutting station 94 comprises one or more cutting heads 96 which contact and cut from the bottom side of the substrate. Cutting from the bottom of the substrate does not dull the cutting head to the extent as would cutting the granule-laden top surface of the substrate. The cutting performed at cutting station 94 includes cutting of the substrate into the aforementioned webs (e.g., by cutting along the non-parallel web edges 34). In addition, the cutting act performed at cutting station 94 can including making the perforations 24.

Moreover, in some situation, the substrate as supplied by supply station 84 can have a width suitable for fabricating plural webs. That is, plural lanes of webs can extend perpendicular to the direction 82 of conveyance. For example, the substrate may have a width suitable for forming three or more lanes abreast. In the case of multiple lanes, the substrate can be cut at cutting station 94 into the appropriate number of parallel lanes, forming webs in each lane.

As mentioned above, some embodiments of shingles bear a sealant strip such as sealant strip 36. For embodiments so configured, the sealant strip 36 is applied at sealant station 98. In an example embodiment, the sealant strip 36 comprises a (continuous or interrupted) line of specially formulated adhesives. The sealant adhesive is preferably of a type that stays soft and is activated for forming a seal at a low ambient temperature, such as a temperature reached on a hot day after the shingle has been affixed or applied to a roof. The sealant strip 36, when applied, is preferably applied at a suitable temperature, e.g., 350° F.

The shingle will ultimately be stacked (e.g., in the manner of FIG. 31) and packaged, so that adjacent stacked shingles will not seal to one another, a release strip is applied (at release strip station 100) for an underside or bottom of each web. The release strip is positioned or aligned to insulate the web from the sealant strip 36 borne by an adjacent shingle upon which this shingle will be stacked.

After a web traveling in a lane has housed the foregoing station, the web is conveyed to stacking station 102 wherein a predetermined number of consecutive webs are stacked vertically, e.g., in the manner of FIG. 31, into a package. After stacking, the package comprising stacked webs is enveloped or wrapped with a suitable packaging material at wrapping station 104. After being wrapped, the package can be discharged to a pallet at a palletizer station 106, or otherwise routed or handled in preparation for shipping.

In the production line 80 of FIG. 33, conveyance in direction 82 can be either continuous or stopped (e.g., indexed). Conveyor apparatus for transporting the substrate, and coated mechanism, therefore, are of a type known to the person skilled in the art.

A cutting station, such as cutting station 94 of production line 80 of FIG. 33, is thus instrumental in forming the webs which are segmentable into trapezoidal-shaped hip or ridge shingles. Cutting head(s) at the cutting station 94 can both cut the substrate into webs, and perforate the webs into the trapezoidal-shaped shingles. An example of a cutting and perforation pattern achieved for a three lane production line is shown in FIG. 34. The webs of FIG. 34 resemble those of FIG. 2, with perforation 24 of each web serving for segmenting the web into trapezoidal-shaped shingles.

Not only does FIG. 34 show the pattern of cutting for a three lane production line, but FIG. 34 further illustrates a cut-and-rolled out view of a peripheral surface of a cutting head configured to achieve such pattern. The cut-and-rolled out view of the peripheral surface of the cutting head of FIG. 34 shows three hundred sixty degrees of the cutting head peripheral surface along the vertical edges of FIG. 34.

It will be appreciated that the peripheral surface of the cutting head of FIG. 34 has three axial regions corresponding to the three lanes of production, the three axial regions being delineated by solid, straight vertical lines shown in FIG. 34. The first or leftmost axial region of FIG. 34 corresponds to and makes cuts and perforations for a first production lane; the central axial region of FIG. 34 corresponds to and makes cuts and perforations for a second or central production lane; the third or right most axial region of FIG. 34 corresponds to and makes cuts and perforations for a third production lane. For each production lane or axial region the cutting head has both cutting elements and perforating elements. The cutting elements are shown by solid semi-vertical lines; the perforating elements are shown by broken (or dotted) semi-horizontal lines. The cutting elements and the perforating elements can be similar elements, but with the perforating elements having a lesser penetration potential or cutting actuation into a substrate, so that (rather than forming a clean cut or separation), a perforation is instead formed.

The solid semi-horizontal lines depicting the cutting elements and the broken (or dotted) semi-horizontal lines depicting the perforating elements are slightly angled with respect to the axis of the cutting head, and assume the respective positions of web edges and perforations 24 as discussed previously with respect to various trapezoidal-shaped shingle embodiments. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the web and shingle measurements previously described for the shingles themselves are applicable to the positions of the cutting elements and perforating elements. For example, considering the shingle 22 of FIG. 1, the distances along the vertical lines between the semi-horizontal lines are either 12.5 inch or 10.5 inch, depending upon whether the distance corresponds to a major parallel side or a minor parallel side of the web being processed. For such example embodiment shingle, the distances between production lanes (e.g., between the vertical lines of FIG. 34) is twelve inches.

In the illustrated embodiment of the cutting head as shown in FIG. 34, each axial region of the peripheral surface of the cutting head is configured to cut/perforate two webs 20 during one revolution of the cutting head. However, the peripheral surface of the cutting head is configured so that the cutting elements and perforation elements of adjacent axial regions are offset. Preferably the elements of one axial region are offset by one shingle width relative to a corresponding element of a next or adjacent axial region. For example, as shown in FIG. 34, the cutting element shown as the lowest of the first axial region is followed later or displaced one shingle width from a cutting element for the central axial region, which in turn is followed later or displaced one shingle width from a cutting element for the third axial region.

Advantages afforded by webs, shingles, and methods aforedescribed include the following:

A hip and/or ridge shingle is made in a simple trapezoid shape, and thus is designed to eliminate virtually all jobsite trimming and/or hand fabrication.

The hip and ridge shingle according to one or more embodiments as described herein or encompassed hereby can be made using SBS modified asphalt for ease of handling and long term weatherability (a hip and ridge shingle made from SBS modified asphalt enhances the long term granule retention of the installed product).

The hip and ridge shingle according to one or more embodiments as described herein or encompassed hereby can include a sealant strip used to bond to the subsequent single as applied across the hip or ridge areas of the roof.

The hip and ridge shingle according to one or more embodiments as described herein or encompassed hereby rely on the sealant strip to also provide an effective alignment guide for subsequently applied hip and ridge shingles as they are applied across the roof hip or ridge.

The trapezoid shape of the hip and ridge shingle can eliminate waste of manufactured materials and subsequent disposal into landfills. The trapezoid shape can create more efficient manufacturing processes by reducing the overall amount of asphalt based material being shipped to jobsites.

The hip and ridge shingle according to one or more embodiments as described herein or encompassed hereby can reduce the amount of asphalt needed to complete roofing system installations.

The hip and ridge shingle according to one or more embodiments as described herein or encompassed hereby increases a weather exposure dimension, thereby increasing coverage per installed shingle, using fewer pieces to complete the job, as compared to commonly used flat, square or rectangular hip and ridge shingles.

The weather exposure for a commercial standard product can be 5⅝″ per shingle installed, to match common sized “metric” architectural design field shingles.

In one or more example embodiments, a contrasting shadow line can be incorporated in to the colored granule application during the manufacturing process to enhance, e.g., the esthetics of the finished job. The contrasting shadow line can create the illusion of having greater dimensional characteristics than standard flat hip and ridge shingles commonly used. Moreover, this contrasting shadow line can be designed to match the corresponding field shingles as manufactured by various manufacturers, for example, this contrasting shadow line can be separately designed to correspond to field shingles as manufactured by various asphalt shingle manufacturers, creating somewhat universal application for this hip and ridge shingle.

The exact dimensions can be calibrated to the needs of specific field shingles as needed. The exact dimensions of the shingle can be verified to fulfill the capabilities of various types of manufacturing equipment, as needed.

This shingle can be made with standard type manufacturing equipment.

The hip and ridge shingle according to one or more embodiments as described herein or encompassed hereby can facilitate the use of existing packaging equipment and materials with no major modification.

Standard length fasteners can be used to secure these hip and ridge shingles to the roof—extra length, extra cost, fasteners are not required as with other “high profile” type hip and ridge shingles.

Although various embodiments have been shown and described in detail, there is no limitation to any particular embodiment or example. None of the above description should be read as implying that any particular element, step, range, or function is essential such that it must be included. It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

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 10. A method of applying shingles to a roof comprising: segmenting a pre-perforated web of roofing material into individual shingles, each individual shingle having a trapezoidal shape, each individual shingle having two parallel side edges including a major parallel edge and a minor parallel edge, the major parallel side and the minor parallel side being parallel to one another, the major parallel side having a length greater than the minor parallel side, each shingle having a sealant strip extending perpendicularly to the parallel edges; positioning a first trapezoidal shaped shingle on roof understructure at a roofing obliquity so that the major parallel edge of the first trapezoidal shaped shingle serves as a leading exposed edge of the first shingle; affixing the first trapezoidal shape shingle to the roof understructure; using the sealant strip of the first shingle as a guide for positioning a second shingle over the first shingle, the second shingle being positioned so that the major parallel edge serves as a leading exposed edge of the second shingle, and whereby an exposed portion of the second shingle overlies a butt portion of the first shingle.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of affixing the first trapezoidal shape shingle to the roof understructure comprises affixing a butt portion of the first shingle to the minor parallel edge of the first shingle.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning the major parallel edge of the second shingle over the first shingle so that the major parallel edge of the second shingle just covers the sealing strip of the first shingle.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the roofing obliquity is a roof ridge.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the roofing obliquity is a roof hip.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the roofing obliquity is a ridge vent cap.
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